Safety device for aeroplanes



May 5, 1931. M. DRBUL SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filed May 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INl/FNTOE M4112: )rbu/ w May 5, 19310 DRBUL SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES Filed May 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1931 PATENT OFFICE- MIKULAS DRBU'L, OF CHICAGQILLINOIS SAFETY DEVICE FOR AEBOIPLANES Application filed May 1, 1930. Serial No. 448,934.

' This invention relates to a transport aeroplane which has a completely enclosed pilot and passenger cabin, and more particularly to a safety device associated with this type 6 of aeroplane which is manually controlled and semi-automatic in operation to provide quick means for escape of persons from 1 within the aeroplane cabin. It is well known that transport and other cabin planes, when 10 they are disabled in flight, will, with the aid of the pilot, coast to a safe landing if such landing were available. The majority of transport plane accidents and fatalities are caused by the plane either suddenly striking the ground or a permanent object and throwing, the passengers against the front portion of the cabin or else by burning the passengers when the plane has struck the earth or object' and ignited the oil supply. My invention is designed to provide means to permit ready. escape of passengers as well as pilot from a disabled plane while" it is in the air and during its descent.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a removable cabin ceiling which is adapted to automatically swing open upon manual operation of means which locks said ceiling in normally closed position.

A further object of my invention is the provision, in an aeroplane body, of overlapping doors forming the top of said body and being adapted to be automatically opened upon actuation of'manually controlled locking means.

A further object of my invention is the provision of an aeroplane body having an upwardly and rearwardly inclined panel forming the rear wall of the cabin in association withreleasable doors forming the ceiling of said cabin. a

A further object of my invention is the provision of an upwardly and rearwardly in-' clined panel in combination with releasable doors adapted to form an opening in the top to open in such away to form an extension of saidinclined panel to prevent a person escaping'from' coming in contact with the tail of the plane.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means adapted to be manually actuof said cabin and an auxiliary door adapted ated in association with door lockingmeans and adapted to disengage the sameto permit automatic opening thereof. I

Other and further important objects of this A invention will be apparent from the dis closures in the specifications and the accompanying drawings.

This mvention in a preferred formis illustrated in the drawings and hereinafterinore 1 fully described. On the drawings v Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, withpor tions cut away, showing the insideof a transport aeroplane and the locationof my door locking means, panel and rear auxiliary door.

Fig. 2 is a view of the ceilingof the aeroplane cabin taken from withinthe cabin and showing the doors in closed and locked position. w

Fig. 3 is a view taken from within the cabin of the sloping panel forming the rear cabin wall and showing the top of the open auxiliary door and above.

Fig. 4 is a View taken from above the cabin showing the doors in open position. '75

As shown on the drawings 7 The reference numeral 1 indicates the cabin of a transport aeroplane having swivel seats 2 secured to the cabin floor. Folded parachutes 3 are removably attached to brackets 30 (not shown) by means of straps 4:. That portion of 'theaeroplane cabin ceiling which is rearward of the front wing comprises doors 5 and 6 which are hinged to the frame of the. aeroplane by means of spring hinges 7 and 8 which are sufiiciently strong to open said doors when they are unlocked. Said doors 5 and 6 overlap at their adjacent edges and extend rearwardly to a point above the terminus of a sloping wall 9 which forms the rear wall of the passenger cabin and slopes rearwardly toward the top for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter. Said wall 9 preferably has a door leading to the, compartment rearward thereof which'may be used for freight or the like.

Door 5 has eyelets 10 secured transversely upon the under surface of the edge adjacent door 6. A sliding rod 11 slidably secured .by brackets 12.to.door 6 has hooks 13 which 4? fit into eyelets 10 to lock the doors together in a closed position. Said slidable rod 11 has a transversely extending stud for purpose which will appear hereinafter and has its front end bent at right angles and extended sidewise.

Near the front end of the plane and preferably near the pilots seat is a lever 1% pivoted on bracket 15, the latter being secured to the ceiling. Near said bracket 15 are brackets 16 and 17 which are journaled for the reception of a slidable locking rod 18, the front end of which has an aperture adai ited to nor mally hold the bent over end of locking rod 11. The rear end of locking rod 18'has a cupshaped housing 19 integral therewith into which the working end of lever ltexte'nds. Slide rod 18 has abutment 20 formed on one side thereof which isadapted to slide: the side of irregular-shapedblock 21 which is secured to the ceiling wall in such a position that it holds sliding rod 18 and 11 hooked together when the rod 18 is in-its' extreme rearward-position. Pressing against the side of sliding rod 18, opposite block 21 is leaf spring 22 which is permanentlysecured to the ceiling wall and has one end pressing against said rod 18. It will be apparent that the block 21 has its irregular side sopositioned with-respect to the abutment20 that when the rod 18 is pulled forward the spring 22 presses rod 18 so that the abutment 20' will slide along the receding side of block 21 and the apertured end of rod 18 will be pressed out of engagement with the bent end of rod 11 at-the same time-rod- 18 is pulledgforwardly sufliciently to disengage each of hoolzs 13 from eyelets 10, whereupon the doors will open due to the action of spring hinges and 8. r

From the fore oing it will beapparcnt that the pilot or operator,- upon pulling the lever 14 in the. direction. to pull. rod-s 18 and 11 forwardly. will effect quickopening of doors 5 and 6, which will permit escapeiof passengers from within the cabin, either with or withoutthe aid of parachutes 3.1 I hen a parachute is withdrawn and thrown. out of the cabin, partial opening thereof; will 7 tend to pull the person upwardly and rearwardly from the cabin when the planeis in a substantially forward and dia aldescent. For this reason and to eliminate the danger of injury from contact with the tail of the plane or other obstructions the wall?) is made sloping so that the pull of the parachute will pullthe person therealong and rearwardly during. the planes descent.

In order to provide an extension for wall 9 I provide an auxiliary door 23 having hinges. 24 secured immediately. rearwardly ofthe upper edge of wall 9. Saiddoor 23, when opened,-will form a substantial extension of the wall 9', the purpose thereof beingto cause 'apassenger who is being pulley upwardly.

of which is secured to the inside of the plane and the vother end being secured to said door 23. A spring 26 having one end secured to the cabm ceiling and its other end secured to the center of said toggle is adapted to open said door to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. To provide locking means for said auxiliary door 23 I provide a slidable rod 27 which is slidably secured to said door by ineansof brackets 28 and has itsforward end bent to form a hook 29 which is adapted to engage a transverse lug 30 on the rear end oflocking rod 11 The rear end of rod. 27 is'adapted to slide into a receiving catch- 31: secured in the upper wall ot the plane body when the dooris closed. The rod. 27 also has a transverse cross-bar 32 forming a handle foruse when it is desired to open the door23 manually, one end of said cross-bar 32- pro-.

trading through a slot in the door 23- to 1 tion, and I thereforedo not purpose limiting tached thereto and normally forming the.

cabin ceiling; said doors having their adjacent edges overlapping each other,-springs on said doors imparting an opening stress thereto; eyelets in the lower of saidoverlapping doors a sl-i'dable rod on the upper door having. hooks adapted to engage said eyelets and having an extended forward end terminating in a hook, a lever pivot-ed inv said ceiling cabin; a rod releasably connecting said lever and the door locking rod, and a spring normally pressing said connecting rod against said block, said spring'being adapted to push said connecting rod against said block, said spring being adapted to push said connecting rod out of engagement with said door locking J25 ing a portion of the cabin. roof; releasable iv locking means adapted to lock said doors in closed position; spring means adapted to open said doors when they are unlocked; a manually operable lever fulcrumed in the forward part of said plane; a connecting rod between said. releasable door locking means and said lever adapted to be disengaged from said door locking means to permit automatic opening of said doors, and a panel forming a rear cabin wall and terminating adjacent the rear ends of said doors.

3. In combination with an aeroplane, overlapping doors hingedly secured thereto forming a portion of the cabin roof; releasable locking means adapted to lock said doors in closed position; spring means adapted to open said doors when they are unlocked; a manually operable lever fulcrumed within said plane; a rod having one end pivotally secured to said lever and its other end terminating in a hook normally releasably engaging said door locking means, and means adapted to disconnect said connecting rod hook from said door locking means.

4. In combination with an aeroplane, overlapping doors hingedly secured thereto forming a portion of the cabin roof; releasable locking means adapted to lock said doors in closed position; spring means adapted to open said doors when they are unlocked; a manually operable lever fulcrumed within said plane; a rod having one end pivotally secured to said lever and its other end terminating in a hook releasably engaging said door locking means, a block disposed adjacent the hooked end of said rod, and a spring secured to the aeroplane surface adapted to press said rod end out of engagement with said door locking means when said connecting rod is moved from its position adjacent said block.

5. In combination with an aeroplane, overlapping doors hingedly secured thereto forming a portion of the cabin roof; releasable locking means adapted to lock said doors in closed position; spring means adapted to open said doors when they are unlocked; a manually operable lever fulcrumed within said plane; a rod having one end pivotally secured to said lever and its other end terminating in a hook normally releasably engaging said door locking means, a spring adapted to disengage said connecting rod from said door locking means when said rod is moved forwardly; and a panel forming a rear cabin wall, the top thereof sloping rearwardly and upwardly and terminating adjacent the rear ends of said doors.

6. In combination with an aeroplane, overlapping doors hingedly secured thereto form ing a portion of the cabin roof; releasable locking means adapted to lock said doors in closed position; spring means adapted to open said doors when they are unlocked; a manually operable lever fulcrumed within said plane; a rod having one end pivotally secured to said lever and its other end terminating in a hook normally releasably engaging said door locking means, a spring adapted to disengage said connecting rod from said door locking means when said rod is moved forwardly; a panel forming a rear cabin wall, the top thereof sloping rearwardly and upwardly and terminating adjacent the rear ends of said doors, an auxiliary door in the top of said plane hinged adjacent the upper portion of said sloping panel and adapted to form an extension of said panel when in open position.

7. In an aeroplane, doors hingedly attached thereto and normally forming the cabin ceiling; said doors having their adj acent edges overlapping each other, springs on said doors imparting an opening stress thereto; eyelets in the lower of said overlapping doors, a slidable rod on the upper door having hooks adapted to engage said eyelets and having an extended forward end terminatingin a hook, a block on said aeroplane top having an enlarged portion and a reduced portion forming a shoulder and adapted to serve as a guide and stop for said slidable rod, a manually operable lever having its fulcrum adjacent the cabin ceiling and extending thereabove.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April, 1930.

MIKULAS DRBUL. 

